Lowering options?

[oklamopar]

Absolutely. If you're after a safe scrub line, this is NOT the way to drop the truck. 2 flat front tires and I'm driving a plow down the highway.

That's cool. talk about pushing a soda can with the axle. LOL. I have a friend with a 29 Chevy with a drastic drop and he cant even run over a cig pack laying flat.

[cantspel]

Really, I would think that a 3 or 4 inch dropped axle along with some spring work in the front, would sit nice and ride decent without al lot of work. You should be able to get 6 inches or so that way. I don't remember what mine measured before, but I think I got around 6 with the flip, 3 with the axle, and I pulled 2 leafs in the front and got another 2 or so. I keep some air in the shocks, so its probrobly 10" at ride height from where I started. Plus the 3 I took from the fender lips. looking back now, I may have gotten a little carried away. I'm gonna blame it on Slick

[slick]

[Outlaw]

very nice stance! Looks like i might have to go the same route! thanks for the pics!!!

can you use air bags on this set up?

[OverdoneDodge]

Guys-
I know it's a Chevy, but go to www.mighty6.com and watch the second youtube
clip on what happens with bump steer. Wild!
Rob

[oklamopar]

cantspell.
with the dropped axle how did you modify the center link/tie rods for clearance ?

Think I'm gonna take my extra axle up to Sid's and go for 3 inches

[MountainMoparRobin]

you don't modify the center link or tie rod ends, just the draglink
and you won't have to touch that if you only go 3"

[cantspel]

I've been asked to do a step by step article to detail what I did to lower my truck. I'm currently in process. I hope to have it done in a week or so. Its takes a while to put it together. I still haven't made a new drag link for mine, but I do make ice cream runs in it from time to time. I'm impressed with how well it drives and rides for being lowered. With the majority of the drop coming from repositioning the axle and dropping the spindles, ride quality is basically uneffected. I hate to see a lowered truck bouncing down the highway. I've had mine to about 80 on the highway and can let go of the wheel. Sid does nice work.


I did drop my tie rod by 3". When you stretch the axle, everything bolted to it moves up with it. With my axle on top of the springs, I got into oil pan clearance issues, to I had to make a dropped tie rod. Its nothing fancy, but it is stronger than the factory piece which had an arch to it and no doubt was flexing on the road. Just a piece of round tubing with a couple bends and the theaded ends of the old tie rod welded fast. The bottom and the corners have 1/2" angle iron welded and blended into them for strength. Looks reasonable and is much stonger than the old one. If you leave the axle under the springs, your tie rod looks like it will run right into the springs with a 3" drop. A 4" will put it close to clearing over the springs. I would say pick the amount of drop that you want, than bolt the axle and spindles back in and see where you're at. You'll probrobly have to do something, but its not a huge ordeal.

[Outlaw]

thats awesome your doing a "how-to" article! i'll wait until you post the article before i give this a shot but i'm getting pretty anxious to lower my beast!

[DavidWymore]

Cantspel...looks good. I wonder if a heavier duty series truck front fender would have accomplished the same thing? Seems like they are "dropped" like you did yours.

[MountainMoparRobin]

Remember guys he not only put on a drop axle (3" of drop) but flipped the axle on top of springs, (another 3" of drop) if you buy de-arched springs from www.eatonsprings.com you'll get 3" of drop and you won't have to do anything or if you take and de-arch the existing springs also 3" of drop, you still won't have to do anything or if you just do the drop axle 3" of drop, you'll also not have to do anything. the key is anthing after 5" changes the geometry of the steering and thus creates bump steer
many truck owners have done the 3" of drop and not had to worry about bump steer,
Also once cantel is done with the tech on "Drop" it will be posted in the Tech section of the forum.

[DavidWymore]

Another note is that's it's a no-no to have anything below the rim of the wheel, in case you get a flat. Already been pointed out, but it can be illegal, too. Would be a bummer to pay the $ for the axle and have to change it.

[DavidWymore]

If you were to go axle on top of springs and de-arch, will you have any uptravel left?

[cantspel]

I don't think so. My springs are basically flat when loaded, and I've got about 3" of travel. I still think there are 2 easy ways to get 6" of drop out of these trucks. Both would ride and look nice and wouldn't be hard to do. One is the flip. You gain the thickness of the spring pack plus the thickness of the axle for about a 6" drop. the other would be to pull some leaves and install a 4" dropped axle. Both require bending the steering arm and installing a W series 6" pitman arm to correct inherent bumpsteer. Both should yield a safe scub line.

I am curious about the HD series truck fenders. Does anyone here have a set? Or a pic and a measurement? Are they a bolt on deal and everything lines up? It Sure would have saved me a bunch of work. I may be interested in a pair for a shortbed project

[cantspel]

I guess I should come clean about 1 thing

My names not really cantspel

Its Neil

[DavidWymore]

Just from eyeballing a couple pictures of w300s, it looks like the fender opening is farther down from the hoodline.

[CULOWDRAGGER72]

what year W-series for the pitman and for the steering arm how much do you bend and do you got any pics of that. i ordered a 3" drop axle from Sid's and i'm removing at least 3 leafs and c-notching the frame abit

[cantspel]

I bent the steering arm down until the drag link just passes over the axle. As for the pitman, I shortened mine. Some of the bigger trucks had pitmans that are about 6 3/8" center to center. I'm not sure which ones. If you shorten yours, don't go less than that.

[CULOWDRAGGER72]

did you section the pitman? And welded it? Is that strong enough? If so I'll do that.

[cantspel]

I would buy a pitman. You can weld forged steel. But its a steering component, so be good at it, and have it magged when your done.